Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T19:34:07.120Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Control Surface and Wing Stability Problems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2016

A. G. Pugsley
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

This paper seeks to draw from current research work on flutter and related problems results of general design significance; and, avoiding mathematics, endeavours to set these results out in relation to past and present problems.

A preliminary section of the paper indicates the main stability and allied troubles concerned and draws attention to the general similarity between wings and tailplanes in relation to these troubles. The remainder of the paper is then devoted to a discussion of the problems involved in terms of wings and ailerons.

For this purpose a “ stiffness diagram ” is constructed for a typical wing, indicating the relative stiffnesses, etc., required to prevent wing-aileron flutter, wing flutter, aileron reversal, and wing divergence. By means of this diagram the course of recent history in relation to wing-aileron flutter and aileron reversal is illustrated, and attention is then given to present and future tendencies and problems. The current tendency to employ wings of high density—arisingly largely from high wing loadings—is making wing flutter the problem of immediate importance, and ways of avoiding the provision of increased stiffness as usually adopted to prevent this trouble, as well as to prevent aileron reversal and wing divergence, are discussed.

Appendices are given commenting on the variation of wing flutter speed with altitude and on the modern tendency to usa wings of low flexural stiffness.

Type
Proceedings
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 41 , Issue 323 , November 1937 , pp. 975 - 996
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1937

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Roxbee Cox, H. Problems involving the stiffness of aeroplane wings. (Journal of Roy. Aero. Soc, Feb., 1934).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Roxbee Cox, H. A statistical method of investigating relations between elastic stiffnessesof aeroplane wings and wing—aileron flutter. (R. & M. 1505).Google Scholar
3. Pugsley, A. G. The wing stiffness of monoplanes—Appendix III. (R. & M. 1742).Google Scholar
4. Pugsley, A. G. The influence of wing elasticity upon the longitudinal stability of an aeroplane. (R. & M. 1548).Google Scholar
5. A. G. Pugsley, Preliminary report on an approximate theory of wing flutter, withspecial reference to Küssne's formula. (R.A.E. Report No. A. D. 3080—unpublished).Google Scholar
6. Shishkin, S. The strength of birds' wings. (Trans, of Central Aero—Hydrodynamical Inst., Moscow, No. 258).Google Scholar
7. Williams, D. The flexural-torsional flutter characteristics of a simple cantilever wing representative of current practice. (R. & M. 1596).Google Scholar
8. Duncan, W. J. and Lyon, H. M. Calculated flexural-torsional flutter characteristics of some typical cantilever wings—interim report. (2738, 0.57—unpublished).Google Scholar
9. Fraser, D. and Pugsley, A. G. Oscillatory lateral instability, with special reference to wing loading and inertia effects. (R.A.E. Report No. A.D.3068—unpublished).Google Scholar
10. Fairthorne, R. A. Preliminary theoretical treatment of the stresses in seaplanes on landing. (R.A.E. Report No. M.T.5592—unpublished).Google Scholar